Dec. 16, 2023 -- by Harrison Hotsprings Village
Stats: 14.7 km / 1030m gain / 728m high point / 5 hours MT
There were truck-sized moss-covered boulders, old wood stairs and bridges deep in the dense damp forest. Balancing, hoisting, pulling and grasping made for a full body workout.
By 8:45am we were on the way, bracing ourselves for a relentlessly steep climb for the next two hours.
Roots reach for nutrients, stretching like tentacles over the rock.
The wet wood was very slippery.
It was with relief that we approached the first viewpoint. We'd now climbed 714m. Fog covered Harrison Lake but we could see peaks.
The stretch from the viewpoint to the lake had a more mellow grade but there were some sketchy spots, like crossing this boulder slope.
Susan had a branch whip into her eye. She needed a moment to recover.
We were surprised to see the lake was frozen.
We turned a sharp right just beyond the lake.
From the junction it didn't take long to get to the open slopes below the power lines. Below us was Harrison River. This was the first fork where we turned right, continueing on the FSR.
But it wasn't our destination. So we backtracked a wee bit and did a second close right onto another FSR and that got us to this viewpoint. To the far left is Robie Reid Mt.
Behind the first moutain is the Sasquatch Ski Resort and Mt. Klaudt, which we'd snowshoed the previous winter.
Breakenridge Mt to the far left and Slollicum Mt to the right and Harrison Lake out of sight.
Group movie: Denise D, Irene H, Susan V, Joca N, Sue A, me & Carmen P
When I asked this guy passing by to take our photo, I forgot to change my camera from Video back to Photo mode.
Just an hour later and the top layer of ice was beginning to melt.
Back at the first viewpoint, with a view of Harrison Lake & Echo Island.
Us older women giving the young ones some sound advice.
It was daring of these girls to cross on this wet slippery log.
I climbed onto a humongous boulder under the powerlines to get this shot of the Cheam Range.
We were back at the parking lot by 3:30pm. Our carload decided to stop in at the Muddy Water cafe along the waterfront. It was neat to see all the Christmas decorations.
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